Customer Reviews

Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a Lost World

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a Lost World. By David Garrison. Bangalore: WIGtake Resources, 2004. 362 pages. Paperback, $12.
"In 2001 a newly emerging Church Planting Movement yields 48,000 new believers and 1,700 new churches in one year" (p. 49). How can you start a church planting movement that sweeps through an entire people group? You can't! But God can. And God can use you to facilitate His purposes.
David Garrison's Church Planting Movements invites the reader to view God's blueprints for reaching all people groups- quickly! But before delving into missiological theory on how these movements work, Garrison takes the reader on a trip to eight major sectors of the world to view already existing church planting movements (CPMs). Each of these episodes narrates the events that catalyzed a full-fledged movement resulting in unreached peoples turning to Christ. He visits India, China, Africa, Latin America, Europe, North America, and the Muslim world. Next he distills the common elements from each movement into comprehensive lists of: 1.) What occurred in every CPM and 2.) What occurred in most CPMs. Some of these elements are: house churches, rapid reproduction, and lay leadership (p. 172). With the good, Garrison includes the bad. He lists the "seven deadly sins" of a CPM. These include: sequentialism (i.e. adding churches versus multiplying them), developing dependency on foreign funds, and not contextualizing the Gospel to the culture (p. 239). These elements choke a budding movement.
The last section of the book challenges the reader to assess his own standing in the scheme of God's church planting movements. Then, it equips him with tools to works towards getting on mission with God. Garrison's appendix includes: a step-by-step guide for planting and reproducing a house church model (p.307-315), an apologetic to reach Muslims (p. 319), and reference materials including Scriptures that under gird all aspects of the CPM philosophy (p.331).
Garrison does his presentation a service by beginning with stories of CPMs in action. People are drawn to the tales of what can actually happen, which are based in reality. These stories are inspiring, educational, and fun to read. This prepares the reader to be open to the new paradigms presented in the second half of the book, as well as builds anticipation to finally get to that point. "How can I start one?!"
The text is easy to read, put into contemporary terms and concepts that the greater Christian community can digest. Missiologist David Garrison has organized this content into lists, graphs, reference tools, and easy to reference case studies in order to communicate the perhaps intimidating world of church planting and frontier missions to the average North American Christian. His positive attitude remains one that encourages rather than rebukes its Christian audience or the Christian movement in general.
The content itself issues a challenge to traditional church planting strategy, not only through its exegesis of the Scriptural text, but through the distilled wisdom gained from case studies. Garrison makes a strong case for unpaid, local, lay leadership, planting rapidly reproducing house churches that exhibit characteristics of evangelism, prayer, and a persistent obedience to the Word of God. With the mention of only a few of these, certain church leaders may balk, saying "Is that feasible? Is that Scriptural? ... Is that comfortable?" Church Planting Movements fields these questions comprehensively, almost anticipating them at every turn.
The section entitled "A Call to Action" seems to anticipate that its readership will only be able to really absorb a certain degree of the material presented (p. 297). It directs the reader to assess at what stage he is in his personal response to CPM philosophy. With this in mind, he can take the next steps through further awareness, education, and/or experience- jump in! In light of this, Church Planting Movements may be a book worthy of re-read, if not definitely for reference. Its charts, steps, and other helpful tools make it a valuable resource to plumb either as new awareness prompts deeper study or as new stages of a CPM develop.
This book is ideal for church planters, world Christians, and pastors looking to amplify their vision to a God-size. It should not be despised by those already involved in church planting ministries, as Garrison showed many examples of principles neglected by current church planters through ignorance. In other instances, he advocates that the removal of bad principles is all it takes to set a dormant movement free (p. 239). David Garrison's book, Church Planting Movements, will be an invaluable addition to a Christian's spiritual and strategic preparation in seeing God's glory spread to the nations.

Because Garrison's book was published in 2004, the stories of church planting movements in all areas of the world, are exciting to read and more importantly, credible. He brings in numbers to support his claim that all over the world, people groups are coming to Christ in ways that parallel "the book of Acts", planting churches instead of focusing on the traditional missionary strategy of making one church grow larger in size and in population. Garrison focuses on the idea that the Gospel needs to be heard to people groups, taking the focus away from geography (there are Christians in India but there are many Indians.) The first two parts of this book focus on different movements- in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and India, South America, Europe, and North America. It is valuable that even in these last three areas (places that are considered "Christianized"), there are still groups and even nations that are spiritually poor and in need of missionary activity.
Garrison works hard to take a new approach to missionary strategy, even redefining missionaries as "strategy coordinators". He also works hard to write about Church Planting Movements in places where missionary activity is dangerous, often protecting the anonymity of the people involved in certain countries, even renaming some countries themselves. Garrison uses the last sections of his book to describe essential characteristics of these movements and even points out "sins" that many missionaries commit in their work. Important tools for bringing the gospel to these people groups include media and translations of the Bible and stories into their own language, a strong emphasis on prayer, and bringing training to the people instead of requiring the people to leaver their people for training. Believers model their faith so that others can learn and grow; Christians are encouraged to worship God in ways that are culturally relevant (with their own songs and strategies for worship).
Perhaps one of the most radical but at the same time fantastic points of Garrison's book is in his focus on immediate evangelism and on lay leadership. He writes about how missionaries should begin their work even before learning the language, prepared to pass on leadership and authority immediately to local leaders of authority regardless of their lack of seminary training. It is total dependence on the Holy Spirit and on God but at the same time, Garrison presents the idea of rapid growth and rapid dependence on lay leadership in a way that doesn't read as irresponsible or as a "plan-so-far" missionary strategy. The goal is to create churches that are reproducible, in their own heart language, empowering them to take on their own responsibility of evangelism to the people around them just as they have received their blessing of salvation.
If there is one reason to read this book, it is because it is proof that God is working in places that Westerners are not even aware of. Churches are being created, according to biblical principles that do not even want to depend on foreign aid, worshiping in ways that westerners might even consider barbaric.

I've one chapter left to read and I am very pleased with this book. The author writes well (though he could use a little help from an editor) and presents a very comprehensive discussion of the Church Planting Movement that is present across the world and some practical action steps that every believer can do.

There is just enough coverage on the different case studies that the reader doesn't get bogged down in details but still gets a feel for what God is doing on the different continents. Then, he shifts to summarizing the characteristics of church planting movements, things that hinder them, and suggests that what we see as novel in the 21st century is actually akin to what the 1st century experienced.

WARNING: The book is inspiring. If you have any kind of heart for the lost, I can't see how you can read this book without feeling like you should be doing more to unleash God's power in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, or the uttermost parts of the world. Get ready to be challenged.

Some forgivable problems that wouldn't keep me from recommending the book:
* Some of his scripture references are lifted out of context but not in a heretical way, so I kind of forgive him.
* The book is pretty cheaply bound. My 9th grade English teacher taught us to flex the spine of paperbacks (for some reason I can't remember), but as soon as I did that, the glue cracked and two chunks of pages came out.

Lastly, I recommend that you not buy the book from Amazon. At the time of this review, the going price is close to $50. Visit the author's website (http://churchplantingmovements.com/) to order it for under $20.

My wife and I have been pursuing joining a church planting team for almost two years now and Garrison's book is among a dozen or so that our sending organization recommended for us before we depart. I got my copy for free through a promotion in a magazine called Mission Frontiers in exchange for writing a review, which I'm very happy to do.

First a personal note: my wife and I have had a discouraging time heading towards the mission field. Mental illness, medication withdrawal, financial trouble, sickness, and lots of setbacks. So I haven't exactly picked this book up and read it straight through like a student, as I would have liked. But I really can honestly say that as I've picked it up and put it down over several months I've consistently been moved and felt a stirring towards things of the kingdom of God. Feels like bit by bit God has been restoring these desires in my wife and me..fanning the flame, so to speak..and this book has for sure been a tool in making that happen.

I think my fellow reviewers have done a good job describing the general format and content, so I'll boil it down to a couple of "take aways" I got.

I can't overstate how thorough and careful Garrison's research and interviews for this book were. I agree that the copy editing could be better, but it's really not distracting and it does feel like hundreds of hours of information gathering, interviews, number crunching, etc., are distilled down to a pretty cohesive (and fairly brief) read. Such a wealth of information. The scope of the project is global, after all.

As I read, I had the tendency to get fascinated by and fixated on the numbers involved. Almost with a greedy, numbers-hungry bent. But I think Garrison is a faithful man of God and my attention was regularly steered back to the real matter at hand: the Gospel of Jesus colliding with human hearts. It's easy to equate numbers with success... a mega church kind of mentality that is dangerous if unchecked. But Garrison keeps returning to the heart of the issue and does a good job reminding readers that CP movements fizzle out when the emphasis is on creating a movement instead of making disciples.

I think Garrison nails it on several levels. The scholarship is impressive and the stories are just, well...real. This is really what God is doing to bring a lost, hurting world full of people to Himself and life and peace.

In short, a great book for anyone interested in Church Planting Movements (CPMs). Garrison not only gives a great picture of what God is doing all over the world by means of case studies on actual examples taking place among various People Groups, but breaks down the specifics of a CPM, and empowers the reader with the proper understanding & tools to take part wherever they are! I found myself excitedly reading page after page, praising God for each stirring movement, and turning to the next page to find more.

Part I simply introduces the reader to CPMs, or "a rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches that sweeps through a people group or population segment" (p. 20). After describing the importance of these movements, one being the spread of God's glory across the earth, he jumps into examples of where these movements are taking place in Part II. Providing rich examples from all over the globe, from India to Latin America, and yes, even in North America, Garrison describes different groups of people among whom God is creating these movements by means of His obedient laborers. A great diversity of cultures and peoples is represented among these CPMs.

Next, in Part III in a very readable manner, Garrison breaks down the common characteristics in all CPMs, one being prayer: "the soul's deepest cry of rebellion against the way things are" (p. 176). Also covered are factors that show up in many movements, but not all. Garrison includes examples of CPMs found in scripture, which were very helpful for a good picture of how these looked in the New Testament times, and the similarities they retain today. A list of the Seven Deadly Sins for CPMs follows, giving a good picture for things that can kill a movement.

Garrison finishes with practical tools for the reader. How can we get involved? What role can we play in God's movements? I think Garrison did a great job of informing the reader of what exactly is going on, and what roles are wide open ready to be filled. This section draws the reader in and challenges what role they might play, and how involved they are willing to become in God's plan to redeem His world.

This book is an exciting read, easy for any person no matter how familiar they are with Church Planting Movements, and engaging. I highly recommend reading, thinking through its implications and asking God what part He has for us.

David Garrison seems to be the current expert on Church Planting. The first part of the book reports on the church planting that has already been done in various areas of the world. It is very exciting to read how God is working in parts of the world that have been very hard to reach for Christ. The rest of the book is the more practical way of how to implement this type of church planting.

Church Planting Movements by David Garrison was an eye opening experience for me. As a follower of Christ it is such an encouragement to see the ways God is working all over the world. David does a great job of not only presenting different movements but also analyzing them and pointing out what each one of them has in common.
Throughout the book David does his best not to present any method or system. It is refreshing to read a book so lacking in any sort of an agenda, outside of getting caught up in the work that God is doing. If anything it is more of a "best practices" of church planting movements, comprising examples, commonalities and frequent mistakes with a scriptural basis for all of it.
The only reservations I had about the book, and really this is only nitpicking, is that some of the scripture used to support certain points was taken out of context. The points themselves were still biblical, only he could have found better support in other areas of scripture instead of settling the tidbits that weren't really applicable when looking at the larger context.
That being said, whether you're looking to see a movement happen in your community, or simply want to learn how to lift up those who are working to see a movement happen where you are or across the seas, Church Planting Movements is a must read.

Disclosure: I requested a copy of this book from Mission Frontiers for review.

I requested a copy of this book to review through a promotion in Mission Frontiers magazine. Which, by the way, has had excellent articles this year with the March-April issue focusing on church planting movements. It can also be accessed online. Just google it.

Although laden with facts and figures, this book tells an inspiring story. That story is summed up in the sub-title...How God is Redeeming a Lost World. Garrison's classic survey of church planting movements (CPM's)is simply a must read for anyone interested in the expansion of Christ's kingdom. In passing conversation many of us in the west have heard reports about house churches springing up left and right in China and a few select places. However, this book puts facts, figures, and principles right in front of you in such a way that brings those vague reports to life, and provides an analysis that makes it possible for someone who has never personally witnessed a CPM, to "peak" into the continuation of the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit is certainly still ACTing in mighty ways and this book lays out objective reports from the field that give us tremendous insight into the common threads by which He is sewing a tapestry for His glory.

Along with others I know, I have been influenced by this book in two primary ways. The first being just the sheer inspiration and vision that it imparts knowing that the kingdom is rapidly multiplying all over the earth. The second, equally as influential, are the transferable principles that have been gleaned from thorough observation and examination of multiple case studies across a wide variety of places & contexts. Discovering common factors that consistently slow down movements and those that consistently act as catalysts for movements are pure jewels of wisdom to find. And any wise disciple-making practitioner would do well to observe & put them into effect wherever he or she may be working to fulfill the Great Commission.

I hope this book continues to ignite a greater passion for reaching unreached people groups and that this passion would cause many people to DO something about it. I also pray that, as more people read this book and others like it, that church planters in the west would not settle for the same old paradigms of planting churches, but would risk all by implementing the same principles found in CPM's in order to push us closer to the edge of seeing rapidly developing movements locally.

The following links are very useful for expanding your understanding of this crucial subject. The first three are websites and the final two are links to books.

[...]
[...]
[...]

[...]
[...]

Church Planting Movements by David Garrison and published by the International Mission Board is a very helpful text. I thoroughly appreciated this little book in its simplicity. David did not write more than he needed too. He laid out the need, the vision, and the how-to in a way that is easily grasped. This text is perfect for any person who is stepping outside of Western Christendom trying to figure out how engage the world in a more biblical way.

Garrison defines Church Planting Movements (CPM) as "A rapid and exponential increase of indigenous churches planting churches within a given people group or population segment (8)." The key words being rapid, exponential, indigenous, planting. If one can grasp these things then we are able to replicate this model.

I really appreciated the structure of the text and how succinct it is. He lays out the core components of a CPM in chapters 3-5 with a list of ten components each. He also provides the leader with answers to FAQ's and obstacles. The stories from countries around the world paint a clear picture of how CPM's work.

I have two criticisms of the text. The first is that in the definition of a healthy church there is no mention of church discipline. This is a key component to keeping a church healthy in the long run. The absence of such has led to the downfall of most of Western Christendom. The second is that there are no stories of this happening in a Western context. While I understand that David works for the International Mission Board, if this is going to be global then it needs to include examples of this working in all contexts. It may be that this is not happening in the West. However, it seems unlikely since I can think of a number of CPM's that are being developed in metro Detroit, MI.

All in all, I would strongly recommend this book. It will be especially helpful for leaders who are moving away from the Boomer Generation's "If you build it, they will come" mentality and the "attractional" mode of church.

This book was extremely helpful to me. As a future church planter I found David Garrison's assessments very helpful and encouraging. I was particularly impacted by his section on The Muslim World. My family and I have been called to church plant Among Muslim people coming to the United States. This book was of a great help to me in giving me guidance on what a good church plant looks like and how to begin that process, weighing the successes and failures of others. I found the appendix on the Qur'anic Bridge helpful because it presents the gospel in a contexualized way! I look forward to using this resource on the field and I know that God placed this book in my hands purposefully at the right time! I applaud Garrison for the effort and detail he provided on so many regions. It was uplifting to see how God is redeeming a lost world in so many regions!